THE CABINET OF MINERALS. 279 



our knowledge, kept the cabinet insured. It is true that 

 he derived from his liberality a rich reward of honor and 

 esteem by the common verdict of his country, an honor 

 more permanent than that of sanguinary success in war ; 

 for, while military heroes enjoyed only a transient fame, 

 the name of Gibbs is enrolled for posthumous fame as long 

 as science shall be cultivated and honored. 



On myself as the head of the department rested of 

 course the duty of making the first movement. I had able 

 counsellors; President Day, the Hon. James Hillhouse, 

 our Treasurer, and my brother Professors, were unanimous 

 in the feeling that the Gibbs Cabinet, so long our pride 

 and ornament, must not be removed from Yale College. 



The Corporation was called together by the President 

 The meeting took place at Hartford on the 24th day of 

 May ; the Governor, the Lieutenant-Governor, and six 

 members of the Senate of the State, who are ex-officio 

 members of the Corporation, being already there in attend- 

 ance on the Legislature then in session. The clerical 

 members were summoned to meet them, and the subject 

 was at once proposed for their consideration. They also 

 were unanimous in the sentiment, that the Gibbs Cabinet 

 must be retained, and they approved of the measures 

 already adopted in New Haven. The treasury of the Col- 

 lege could not afford to make the purchase, and our only 

 resource appeared to be to call again, as had always been 

 done for the endowment of the College, upon the loyalty 

 of our alumni and the liberality of the friends of science and 

 of the College, a resource which had never failed in pre- 

 vious exigencies. (See the appendix to Baldwin's " His- 

 tory of Yale College," for a list of contributors on many 

 occasions.) 



Agreeably to the intimation already stated, the Corpora- 

 tion passed votes, in form, approving of our efforts to save 

 the Cabinet, and gave us authority to invite subscriptions 

 and contributions. 



